Brake for vehicles



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheetn 1.

E. TRIGKETT. BRAKE FOR VEHICLES. 110.431.4119. Patented July 1; 1890.

Win F391 20 '1 (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

E. TRIGKETT. BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

No. 431,419. Patented July 1, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD TRICKETT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

BRAKE FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,419, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed JannaryZS, 1890. Serial No. 337,834. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD TRICKETT, a

citizen of the United States, residing in Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes for Fire Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in brakes for fire apparatus of that class shown in a prior application filed by me on the 9th day of December, 1889, and serially numbered 333,097 and the invention consists in the combination of devices and peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable others to readily understand my invention, I will now proceed to a detailed description thereof, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a brake embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of another embodiment of my invention. Fig 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the device constructed as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail transverse sectional view through the hollow fixed guide adapted to receive the endwise-movable slide. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another modification of my invention.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, 1 designates a fixed rigid hanger, having a clip 2 at the upper end thereof and a slotted guide-foot 3 at the lower extremity thereof. This clip is constructed by being bifurcated to embrace the axle 4 of a fire apparatus, and is secured thereto by nuts, as shown, and in the slotted foot-of said hanger operates a vertically-movable suspending arm or bar 5, which is guided in its vertical play or movement by the slotted foot 3, and is sustained against lateral or sidewise play by the hanger itself. This suspending bar or arm carries a friction-shoe 6 at the lower end thereof, and at its upper end said suspending-bar is pivotally connected to the hanger through the medium of a horizontal lever 7, which forms a part of a system of levers 7, 8, and 9, which is shown and described in my prior application, hereinbefore referred to. The shoe-suspendin g bar or arm 6 andthe lever 7 are pivotally connected together at 10, and the lever 7 is in turn pivoted to the hanger, as at 11, and to the levers 8 and 9 at 12 13, respectively. The lever 8 is pivoted at its upper end to the lever 9, at a point intermediate of the length of the latter lever, and the lever 8 is adj ustably connected to the rear end of the lever 7 by the pivotpin 12, which fits in one of a series of apertures formed in the lever 8, whereby the vertical play or movement of the suspending-bar and its attached shoe can be varied or regulated.

15 designates an elevating or trip cord, which is connected at one end to the lever 9 and at its other end to an adjustable loop or eye 16 on the suspending bar or arm 6, the cord passing over a guide-roller or sheave 17, which is located at a point at one side of the system of levers. The levers are held in an elevated position, so that the shoe is normally raised out of contact with the road-bed or ice by means of a drop-weight'lB, which is suspended by a cord 19, that passes over the guide-roller 20, and is connected to the rear end of the lever 9. (See Fig.1.) The loop or eye 16 is adjustable longitudinally on the suspending-bar toward and from the fulcrum thereof, and by adjusting this loop or eye the vertical movement or play of the bar under the force or gravity of the dropweight can be varied or regulated at will. Thelower end of the suspending-bar has an ear or lug 21, to which is connected one end of a drag-chain 22, the other end of which chain is secured to a firm strong part of a vehicle or fire apparatus, as at 28, whereby the drag-chain is adapted to transmit the strain to the vehicle-body, which is caused by the friction-shoe coming in contact with the roadbed or ice, and thus relieve the hanger of strain, the hanger being adapted to hold the suspending arm or bar against lateral or side- Wise strain. The shoe in Fig. 1 is in the form of a disk or plate, which is presented edgewise to the road-bed and fitted in a slot in the lower end of the suspending-bar and held on a single bolt, and when one side of the shoe becomes worn it can be turned or adjusted to present a new surface to the roadbed.

In lieu of using the drop-weight to normally elevate the suspending-bar and fricti0n-shoe, I may use a coiled spring 25, connected to the rear side of the lever 9 and the vehicle to which the brake is applied, whereby I am enabled to dispense with the guide-roller 20 and the cord 19. (Shown in Fig.1.)

The shoe shown in Fig. 5 consists of a fiat long plate, which is pivoted at an intermediate point of its length in the suspending bar or arm 6, as at 26, and to the forward end of the shoe is connected the drag-chain 22 and a coiled spring 27, the drag-chain being firmly secured to the vehicle-body and the spring being connected to the adjustable eye or loop on the suspending bar or arm 6.

I will now proceed to describe the embodiment of my invention, (shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings,) in which I employ the rigid hanger having a slotted guide-foot, a suspending-bar pivotally connected to the hanger, a friction-shoe carried by the hanger, and a drag-chain connected with the friction-shoe and the body of a vehicle to which the brake is applied. The suspending bar or arm is preferably pivoted at its upper end directly to the hanger, and to the lower end of said bar is pivoted a drag-lever 30. The rear end of the drag-lever carries the friction-shoe, which may be of the form shown in either Figs. 1 or 5, and said end of the lever has an upwardly-projecting lug 31, to which the dragchain 32 is secured, the other end of the drag-.

i chain being fixed to a solid part of the Vehiclebody, to which the brake is applied. The draglever and friction-shoe are elevated or depressed by a lever or treadle 33, located at a suitable point within convenient reach of the driver, and this operating lever or treadle is connected with the free forward end of the drag-lever by a cable 34, which runs over a guide pulley or sheave 35, located at a suitable point on the vehicle-body. The drag-lever and friction-shoe are held in an elevated position above and out of contact with the roadbed or-other surface by means of an endwisemovable slide 36, which may be located at any convenient point on the vehicle-body. The

- slide is preferably arranged in an inclined position, and it is made rectangular or any other suitable polygonal shape in cross-section to prevent the slide from turning in its guide 37, in which guide the slide is snugly fitted.

The guide is fixed in any suitable manner to the vehicle-body in an inclined position, and in the lower side of the guide is formed a slot or aperture 38, through which slot projects a beak 39, formed on a locking-piece 40. This lock is pivoted to the hollow fixed guide, as

shown, and the beak of the lock is adapted to fit in a notch or recess 41, formed in the lower edge of the elevating-slide, whereby the lock is adapted'to confine the slide, the draglever, and friction-shoe in their elevated positions. The slide isof such length that its upper end terminates within convenient reach of the driver, and said upper end is provided with a handle 42, by which the driver can readily grasp the slide, so as to raise or elevate the slide, the drag-lever, and the friction-shoe.

The pivoted lock is provided with an extended arm 44, to which is connected two coiled springs 45 46. The weaker coiled spring 45 is connected to the fixed guide and to one side of the pivoted lock, and the other spring 46 is connected to the other side of the arm of the pivoted lock and to the operating lever or treadle. The purpose of the spring 46 is to allow the operating lever or treadle to travel its required distance to raise or lower the drag-lever without straining the pivoted lock, and when said operating lever or treadle is in the proper position and the slide raised by hand the spring 45 impels the look into engagement with the notch in the slide when said notch arrives opposite to the slot or aperture in the fixed guide, in which slot thebeak of the pivoted lock operates.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings.

Changes in the form and proportion of parts and details of construction of the mechanism, herein shown and described as embodiments of my invention, can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention; and I would, therefore, have it understood that I reserve the right to make such modifications as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

No claim is herein made to the combination, with a suspending-bar carrying a friction-shoe, of the system of levers, one of which is connected to the suspending-bar, the dragchain, and a cord or rope connected to the suspending-bar, and one of the levers of the system of levers as the same forms the sub ject-matter of an application filed by me on the 9th day of December, 1889, Serial No. 333,097; nor do Iclaim in this application the combination of a suspending-bar, a frictionshoe pivoted thereto, and a spring connected to said shoe for holding the same in an elevated position, as the same forms the subjectmatter of an application filedby me on March 22, 1890, Serial No. 344,941.

Having thus fully described and explained my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a rigid hanger, an

adjustable suspending-bar supported in said hanger and carryinga friction-shoe, the dragchain, a fixed guide, an endwise-Inovable slidefitted in said guide and connected to the bar for adjusting the said bar and the shoe, and a locking device for holding the shoe and slide in a normally-raised position, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a rigid hanger having a slotted foot, a suspending-bar fitted in said foot and carrying a friction-shoe at its lower end, a drag-chain, a fixed guide, an endwise-movable slide fitted in said guide and connected with the suspending bar or shoe, and an automatic locking device for holding the slide and shoe in an elevated position, substantially as described,forthe purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a rigid slotted hanger, a suspending-bar supported in said hanger and carrying a friction-shoe at its lower end, the drag-chain for relieving the suspendingbar and hanger of endwise strain when the friction-shoe is applied to the ground, a sliding bar or cable for adjusting the shoe, and and automatic lock for holding the sliding bar or cable in an elevated position and adapted to automatically release the same when the shoe or bar strikes an obstruction in its path, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

at. The combination, with a friction -shoe and means for supporting the same, of an endwise-movable bar or cable connected with the shoe, and an automatic locking device engaging said sliding bar or cable to hold the same in an elevated position and adapted to automatically release said bar or cable when the shoe strikes an obstruction in its path, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of a friction-shoe, a suspending-bar therefor, the drag-chain,an end wise-movable bar or cable connected with the shoe for elevating the same, a fixed guide in which the bar or cable operates, and an automatic locking device carried by the fixed guide to normally engage the bar or cable and adapted to automatically release said bar or cable when the shoe strikes an obstruction, substantially as described, for the purpose described.

6. The combination of a hanger, a friction shoe carried by a suspending-bar, the dragchain, the fixed guide, the notched slide fitted in said guide and connected with the shoe, a pivoted lockin g device, and a spring connected to the locking device to impel the same into the notched slide and adapted to release'the lock from the slide when the latter is moved by the friction-shoe striking an obstruction, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a hanger, asnspending-bar, a drag-lever pivoted to said suspending-bar and carrying the frictionshoe, an operating lever or treadle connected by a cable to the drag-lever, a notched slide connected to the suspending-bar, a pivoted lock, and the springs, combined and arranged substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

EDW'ARD TRICKETT.

Witnesses:

M. V. B. PARKER, E. F. FASSETT. 

